How tight should my groups be?

[Sneaky]

LWRC M6A2, 14.5" barrel w/ Battle Comp 1.5 compensator
Swarovski 4-12x50 BT scope
Harris bipod

Typically, I practice with M855 green tips.

Currently, I shoot about 1.5MOA with this ammo.

My stock trigger is heavier than I'd prefer for precision shooting.

I have two questions:

1. How much improvement do you think I could get out of shooting my own handloads, for hunting/accuracy purposes.

2. Would upgrading to a higher end, nice crisp trigger help improve my groups?

Ideally, I want to get this platform sub-MOA, but I don't know if it's reasonable to expect with a 14.5" barrel, even on a really nice rifle like mine.

Looking forward to the GS brain trust on this one!

[Sneaky]

oops, I meant to post this in AtC. Please delete, mods.

[csmith936]

LWRC M6A2, 14.5" barrel w/ Battle Comp 1.5 compensator
Swarovski 4-12x50 BT scope
Harris bipod

Typically, I practice with M855 green tips.

Currently, I shoot about 1.5MOA with this ammo.

My stock trigger is heavier than I'd prefer for precision shooting.

I have two questions:

1. How much improvement do you think I could get out of shooting my own handloads, for hunting/accuracy purposes.

2. Would upgrading to a higher end, nice crisp trigger help improve my groups?

Ideally, I want to get this platform sub-MOA, but I don't know if it's reasonable to expect with a 14.5" barrel, even on a really nice rifle like mine.

Looking forward to the GS brain trust on this one!

Trigger would be the FIRST thing I would upgrade when buying a factory AR-15 rifle......I prefer CMC triggers ( I have several of them and prefer the flat one)

[ultrastealth]

1.5" is about the best that you can expect with M855. I would say upgrade your ammo prior to to tweeking your rifle. Also, barrel length has little to do with accuracy.

[Sneaky]

1.5" is about the best that you can expect with M855. I would say upgrade your ammo prior to to tweeking your rifle. Also, barrel length has little to do with accuracy.

How much do you think there is to be gained with upgrading ammo? Do you think I'd be better off with handloads, or with something like Federals?

[Coach W]

1.5" is about the best that you can expect with M855. I would say upgrade your ammo prior to to tweeking your rifle. Also, barrel length has little to do with accuracy.

Agreed. 10.5" 556 noveske at 100 yards:



50 grain vmax fiocchi ^^^

To be fair i do have a 3.5lb single stage cmc trigger in mine.

[bm22]

It depend on what you want the rifle to do. If you want ammo incase of emergency m855 is the way to go because of cost.

If you want the most accurate ammo good handloads are the way to go. Bad handloads would be like m855. Federal may shoot under 1 moa.
Whats the barrel twist?

[lbbf]

Reloading for my AR was a real eye opener for me. I can get one load to shoot 1.5" inches at best. Change powder and tweak the grains just a bit and now I can get 0.5" or better out of it.

[Texastaxi]

What kind of barrel is on that rifle and how fast are you shooting?

I had a single shot 223, with a light barrel, that would get hot and start walking on the second or third shot. Could be something other than your ammo.

[RevMS]

Any well built AR15 should be sub-MOA with quality handloads or a favored factory load and many smaller manufacturers guarantee it. Major manufacturers cranking out Mil Spec stuff don't guarantee better than 3 MOA or so. LWRC probably should be better than the average (that's average, not all) Colt, Bushmaster, DPMS level product. Your 1.5 MOA with M855 is pretty good and should get better with a round the gun likes. Also your Battle Comp could be causing some scatter as well ... you might try taking it off and seeing if that has any effect on your POI.

[Sneaky]

Agreed. 10.5" 556 noveske at 100 yards:



50 grain vmax fiocchi ^^^

To be fair i do have a 3.5lb single stage cmc trigger in mine.

Cool, good to know barrel length is not a real limiting factor! Nice grouping, also.

It depend on what you want the rifle to do. If you want ammo incase of emergency m855 is the way to go because of cost.

If you want the most accurate ammo good handloads are the way to go. Bad handloads would be like m855. Federal may shoot under 1 moa.
Whats the barrel twist?

Barrel twist is 1:7

Reloading for my AR was a real eye opener for me. I can get one load to shoot 1.5" inches at best. Change powder and tweak the grains just a bit and now I can get 0.5" or better out of it.

Definite good info! I'm just getting my reloading bench all set up.

Any recommendations on a formula to start out with for 5.56?

What kind of barrel is on that rifle and how fast are you shooting?

I had a single shot 223, with a light barrel, that would get hot and start walking on the second or third shot. Could be something other than your ammo.

14.5" spiral fluted, 1:7 twist , battle comp 1.5 compensator

I'm not having issues with accuracy changing after multiple shots, thankfully.

I think it's high time to do a round of shooting with a few different premium brands of ammo, and the compare to m855.

Then try out a few handloads, and compare those also.

[bm22]

Your going to need to reload or shoot heavier bullets, i would recomend a minimum of 65 gr bullet. I would go with 75 gr bullets.

[Iehooligan11b]

With a 1:7 twist you may be able to tighten up your shot group with a heavier bullet than the 855. Also, like others have said... Upgrade the trigger.

[LillDragun]

I would say, if your budget allows you, upgrade the trigger. I have a Geissele SSA-E and a SD-E. I love them both!! super light triggers. Have you tried the coin flinch dry fire practice?....Not saying that you're flinching, but it's good practice.

[hoythitman]

Hand loads with heavier loads should get you to 1" or a tad better trigger will help as well. I'd say between loads and trigger you should get to .75" if you do your part.